Tragedy: Yossi Wind, father of 7, killed while returning from a wedding in Belza

June 11, 2014   

A heavy mourning in Belza Hasidism: In a fatal accident that occurred early Wednesday morning on the way back from the big wedding, Rabbi Yosef Yehuda (Yossi) Avraham Wind, a 31-year-old Belza Hasid, a resident of Beit Shemesh, was killed - and three others were injured.

The accident occurred at around 5:30 this morning, on Highway 1 near the Ein Hemed interchange, when a vehicle carrying Belza Hasidim returning from the wedding of the Rebbe's granddaughter in Jerusalem on their way to Beit Shemesh collided with a truck - and overturned.

An initial investigation by traffic investigators into this morning's accident indicates that the vehicle was following a truck in the right lane. At one point, the vehicle overtook the truck and hit the truck from behind with its right side, swerving and overturning.

The late Wind, who was sitting next to the driver, was killed by the force of the impact of the truck. Three other passengers - including a child - were injured, one in moderate condition and two in light condition.

Volunteers from rescue organizations who passed by the road immediately after the accident called the rescue forces, rushing to provide first aid.

Rescue forces called to the scene, along with fire fighters, provided initial medical treatment to the three injured and were forced to declare the deceased dead.

Hadassah Medical Center reported that "the trauma unit of Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital received three injured people from the accident on Highway One. Two adults, one is in moderate/mild condition, the other is in mild condition, and a child is in mild condition. The injured are still undergoing tests and treatment.".

A United Hatzalah spokesperson said: "The paramedics from the Open-Losses unit who arrived first on the scene encountered an accident involving a truck and an overturned vehicle, and provided treatment to the driver, who was moderately to seriously injured, and to a child and another passenger who were lightly injured. Unfortunately, a passenger sitting next to the driver was pronounced dead at the scene. Reports on the ground indicate that the vehicle was on its way back from a wedding celebration in the Holy Courtyard in Belza toward Beit Shemesh. The circumstances of the accident are being investigated by the police.".

Magen David Adom paramedic Yoshi Amit, who arrived at the scene of the accident at night, said: "We saw that this was a very serious accident. On the road there was a private car upside down on its roof, apparently after it collided with a truck. A man about 30 years old was trapped in the front of the vehicle, unconscious with a very serious head injury.

""While rescuing the critically injured man who was trapped, we attempted to provide him with medical treatment, but after rescuing him from the vehicle we were forced to declare him dead. We provided medical treatment to the three other injured men and evacuated them to a hospital.".

Following the serious accident, there is heavy traffic on Highway 1 from Jerusalem towards Tel Aviv, after the police closed the road near the Ein Hemed interchange.

The police recommended that the driving public use Highway 443 towards Tel Aviv.

המנוח ז"ל נולד בירושלים לאביו הרה"ח רבי אהרן וינד, מחשובי חסידי בעלזא ומבאי ביתו הקרובים של האדמו"ר, ולאמו מרת אסתר צפורה. סבו הוא הרה"ח רבי ברוך וינד, בעל תפילה בבעלזא. לאחר לימודיו בישיבת בעלזא נישא לרעייתו בלומה פסיה, בתו של רבי חיים צבי גלנדואר. לאחר נישואיו עבר להתגורר בבית שמש. הותיר אחריו שבעה ילדים - כשהגדולה רק בת 10. לפרנסתו עבד כסגן מנהל סניף רשת יש חסד בבית שמש. בשיחה עם חרדים10 מספר בן משפחה: "יוסי ז"ל היה איש שכולו חסד, איש של נתינה וביטול עצמו לטובת האחר. גם בשכונה שבה התגורר כולם ידעו, כשיש בעיה - יוסי הוא הכתובת. "בבית הכנסת בית גדליה בבית שמש שבו היה מתפלל, היה מארגן את הסעודה שלישית כל שבת, ובהתנדבות מלאה. בכל מבצע שהיה ברשת המזון שבה עבד, הוא היה קונה לבית הכנסת ולוקח מונית על חשבונו, עם המצרכים, למען בית הכנסת. פשוט אין לי איך להתחיל ולתאר את גודל הטרגדיה והכאב של משפחתו ומכריו, עין אחת לא נשארת יבשה". הלוויתו של ר' יוסף יהודה אברהם וינד ז"ל תצא מבית הלוויות סנהדריה להר המנוחות, בשעה 14:00. [youtube url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkQDWTE5_uY" width="600" height="400" responsive="yes" autoplay="no"]